Commentary

 

Breast

  

In Ezekiel 16:7, the breast signifies natural good.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 3301)


In Exodus 29:26, this signifies the divine spiritual in the heavens and its appropriation there. It also signifies the good of charity. (Arcana Coelestia 10087)

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Arcana Coelestia #8806

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8806. And sanctified the people. That this signifies the veiling over of the interiors that they may appear to be in the holiness of faith, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 8788); but it was there set forth what was the sanctification with the Israelitish people, namely, that it was a veiling over of the interiors, so that as to their externals they might appear to be in what was holy when they were in representative worship; and that unless their interiors had then been veiled over, they would not only have defiled the holiness of worship by foul thoughts and evil affections, but would also have totally destroyed it, so that nothing celestial and spiritual which was represented in the external things would have been perceived therefrom in heaven.

[2] But as by “the sons of Israel” are here meant those who are of the spiritual church, it shall be briefly told what is meant by “sanctification” with these. They who are of the spiritual church and live a life of truth and from this a life of good, are withheld from evils and are kept in good by the Lord. The good which is from the Lord is holy with them. Consequently insofar as they receive good from the Lord, so far they are holy; and they receive so much of good from the Lord, that is, are so far holy, as they live a life of good according to the genuine truths of faith, and at the same time believe that all the good which they then think and do is from the Lord. Then, too, evils with them are separated so as not to appear at all, especially those which they have derived hereditarily from parents, and which are filthy, because they have been successively accumulated with the parents for many ages back, and thus amassed in the offspring. These are the interiors which with those who are of the spiritual church are hid away and as it were veiled over (n. 966, 1667, 2307, 2308, 3701, 4317, 8550). Hence it is that all the will they possess hereditarily is destroyed. For this cause a new will is formed with them in the intellectual part by means of truths of faith from the Lord. This is the reason why, when they are being regenerated, they are led by means of truths to good; and afterward when they have been regenerated, from good into the truths of good. Hence it is evident how a new will is created in them by the Lord. (That this is formed in the intellectual part with those who are of the spiritual church, see n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 6125)

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia #1044

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1044. And it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. That this signifies a sign of the presence of the Lord in charity, and that the “earth” here denotes the Own of man, is evident from what has been already said. That the “earth” signifies the Own of man, is evident also from the internal sense and from the connection in which it here occurs. For it was said before: “this is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living soul that is with you” by which was signified whatever has been regenerated. But here it is said, differently: “it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.” From this, and also from the repetition of the words “sign of a covenant” it is plain that here something else is signified, and in fact that the “earth” means that which is not and cannot be regenerated, which is the Own of man’s will part.

[2] For man when regenerated is as to the intellectual part the Lord’s, but as to his will part is his own, these two parts in the spiritual man being opposed. But though the will part of man is opposed, yet it cannot but be present; for all the obscurity in his intellectual part, or all the density of his cloud, is from it. It continually flows in from it, and in proportion as it flows in, the cloud in his intellectual part is thickened; but in proportion as it is removed, the cloud is made thin. Thus it is that by the “earth” is here signified the Own of man. (That by the “earth” is signified the corporeal part of man, as well as many other things, has been shown before.)

[3] This condition of things between the will and the understanding is as if two who were formerly conjoined by a covenant of friendship, as were the will and the understanding in the man of the Most Ancient Church, had their friendship broken, and enmity had arisen-as took place when man wholly corrupted his will part-and then when a covenant is again entered into, the hostile part is set forth as if the covenant were with it, but it is not with it, because it is utterly opposite and contrary, but it is with that which flows in from it—as already said-that is, with the Own of the understanding. The “token” or “sign” of the covenant is this, that in proportion as there is the presence of the Lord in the Own of the understanding, in the same proportion the Own of the will will be removed. The case herein is exactly as it is with heaven and hell. The intellectual part of the regenerated man, from charity, in which the Lord is present, is heaven; his will part is hell. So far as the Lord is present in this heaven, so far is this hell removed. For of himself man is in hell, and of the Lord is in heaven. And man is being continually uplifted from hell into heaven, and so far as he is uplifted, so far his hell is removed. The “sign” therefore, or indication, that the Lord is present, is that man’s will part is being removed. The possibility of its removal is effected by means of temptations, and by many other means of regeneration.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.